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• Jeff Foust
Rocket Lab added eight Neutron missions during a record third quarter, bringing the rocket’s manifest to 16 flights and more than $515 million in contracts, including missions for the U.S. Space Force and ICEYE. Some launches carry a base price of $70 million; the inaugural flight is now expected in 2027.
Commercial Space
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Rocket Factory Augsburg is targeting 2027 for the first launch of its RFA One rocket from SaxaVord spaceport in Scotland, according to the report. The spaceport is drawing interest from several companies for orbital and suborbital missions, as RFA discussed its plans with delegates from Germany’s aerospace research center DLR.
Chinese launch company Kuaizhou Aerospace plans to begin flying two new rockets in 2027, including the reusable Kuaizhou-6 and the low-cost Kuaizhou-12. The company also plans a first-stage recovery attempt, putting reusability on the agenda for its next-generation launch vehicles.
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Rocket Lab added eight Neutron missions during a record third quarter, bringing the rocket’s manifest to 16 flights and more than $515 million in contracts, including missions for the U.S. Space Force and ICEYE. Some launches carry a base price of $70 million; the inaugural flight is now expected in 2027.
Gilles Rabin argues that Europe’s space industry faces a new Sputnik moment defined less by launch capability than by its ability to scale industrially and attract defense investment. The analysis frames those pressures as part of a broader shift in Europe’s space landscape.
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A Norwegian aviation notice indicates Isar Aerospace may launch its third Spectrum rocket as early as Nov. 26. The notice sets out a potential launch date, but the available report does not confirm that the mission is scheduled or provide details about its payload or objectives.
Firefly sees potential business opportunities as the Pentagon turns toward cislunar space. The development puts a commercial space company’s prospects alongside growing defense interest in the region between Earth and the moon, though the available report summary provides no details on specific opportunities or programs.
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